external transmission cooler

[1KWIKSIX]

My radiator only has 1 useable cooler / heat exchanger in it now. When I last had my radiator re-cored some years ago, I was told that one of the internal coolers in the rad tank was damaged beyone use. So, I have been using the one remaining internal cooler for my oil lines.
My transmission lines go to an external air cooled transmission cooler which is mounted in front of the radiator fins.
 
I am changing over from my stock D5 convertor to a 10" PTC 2800 Stall L/up unit and am concerned about extra temps / higher heat in the transmission fluid.
 
Am I OK the way my set up is now? I do understand that liquid is much more efficient at cooling. Or, should I invest in a new radiator with both tanks & route my transmission lines into the radiator end tank cooler / exchanger first, then have this feed the air cooled transmission cooler which would then go back into the transmission?
 
 
This is a street car / driver and track use would be very limited (if at all).
Car is stored in winter and will not see cold weather driving conditons.
 
Just looking for some guidance or insight on this subject.
 
Thanks,
 
dave

[Steve Wood]

after reading a lot, I have changed my mind (no, I did not trade it in)a few times.


As long as it is a decent sized cooler, it should be fine as it is.


Engine oil should be a minimum temperature for best results whereas tranny fluid does not need to warm up to work correctly according to all the material I have seen recently.  Therefore, let the coolant warm it up and let the tranny fluid see the air.


I doubt that a ten inch, lock up will generate very much more heat than the factory converter except when racing-then it will probably get a bit warmer.


I always get a tranny cooler rated over 20,000 lbs which is one of the larger ones and I prefer the plate style like B&M sells rather than the finned ones like Permacool sells.

[Charlief1]

From what I've read the 10" should run cooler than the stock one, but as Steve pointed out, get the plate style cooler to make it more efficient.

[SuperSix]

I have a weird one i got on eBay = I'm using it as a trans cooler - now I am getting suspicious of the in-rad oil cooler (trash in it). May start looking for an aftermarket oil cooler.

Lower right...

[Top Speed]

Picture of my new setup.  B&M transcooler w/fan.  I also have the  10" PTC 2800 Stall L/up.  Have not driven it yet.  More to come...

[Steve Wood]

I put one just behind the license plate once.  First time I entered my driveway, it knocked the fan off!  Apparently my lowered car did not like that mounting position?

[Scoobum]

You won't see any higher trans temps while you're driving. When you footbrake the car...or throw it on the transbrake...i s when the temps will soar. You don't race your car...so a stock setup will do you just fine.

[motorhead]

Here's what I used for the TH400 swap: http://www.turbobuicks.com/forums/buick-v6-turbo-tech/83880-few-more-upgrades.html

I find this 3 speed (w/ 9.5" converter) setup runs hotter than the 4 speed simply due to the extra RPM... but, I run a mix of John Deere HyGard and Type-F to combat any issues associated with temperature.

[TURBOPOWERED68]

My trans guy told me to USE the one in the radiator (water) first then external one (air) as that would give me maximum cooling. SO thats how i have mines set up.

[gbsean]

Picture of my new setup.  B&M transcooler w/fan.  I also have the  10" PTC 2800 Stall L/up.  Have not driven it yet.  More to come...

I had something similar but was mounted under battery tray and was an oil and trans cooler with T-stat...I wired the t-stat into the low rad fan circuit with a switch to turn off both fans after staging...so not to get current draw...at end of 1/4 I would turn back on.

[tb3]

I remember reading awhile back about some guys using their ac condenser as a trans cooler.  aperantly it would cool so well that the fluid wouldn't get up to temp.  could be bs, but interesting nevertheless

[Steve Wood]

Most things I read say that tranny fluid does not need to get up to any particular temp...so I guess that part is bs?

[tb3]

Most things I read say that tranny fluid does not need to get up to any particular temp...so I guess that part is bs?

how you doing steve?  always good to see you here!

i don't know, so I'm asking, .... 
why does manufacture want you to check trans fluid level when trans is at normal operating temp?   is it just because of the expansion cause of heat? and nothing to do with its function?

[ULYCYC]

I don't think it matters with normal climates.  I would think having a big trans cooler at 50 below zero would cause havoc on the trans pump.

[Steve Wood]

Most things I read say that tranny fluid does not need to get up to any particular temp...so I guess that part is bs?

how you doing steve?  always good to see you here!

i don't know, so I'm asking, .... 
why does manufacture want you to check trans fluid level when trans is at normal operating temp?   is it just because of the expansion cause of heat? and nothing to do with its function?

yes, when hot it reaches higher on the stick....

with regard to temp, most things I have read say that for each 20 degs above 175, the life of the fluid is cut in half...Life is projected to be around 100,000 miles at 175, I think.

On the cold end, viscosity increases very quickly once the temp has dropped to zero degs.  I think some of the synthetic fluids do better.

When you stall the converter against the brakes, the temp shoots up like a rocket....the bigger the aftermarket cooler you can install, the better and it needs air flow across it, obviously

a thermostatic flow control is needed if you are driving in Fairbanks in the winter